Because You Matter
by fishfingersandcustard333
Summary: Right before Hermione will be returning to Hogwarts to finish her last year Ron is forced to realize how much she really means to him and how much he could loose. Romione one-shot


AN: After a whole lot of internal conflict on what my next one shot should be about I came back to my original plan of writing one about Ron and Hermione after finally getting an idea for one. Set at the end of summer after the battle of Hogwarts. Ron is kind of clueless for a little bit, but Harry puts him back in line. Hope you like it!

Hermione was back at the Burrow after a summer of hurting, healing and a whirlwind romance. It was the last day of summer. Even when she was mad at Ron, which was right now, Hermione couldn't help but smile thinking of all the fun times they'd had. She was packing her trunk, to return to Hogwarts to complete her seventh year. Piling more books into it she still couldn't believe Ron wouldn't be going with her. Part of Hermione was telling herself to come back to reality, that it was Ron she was talking about. As long as she had known him he had despised most classes, homework, studying and almost all work for that matter. Why would he want to go to an extra year of school when hundreds of wizards ready to give him a well-paying job today?

His words echoed in her mind, hurting her although they hadn't meant to in the slightest. "I don't _need_ to complete my seventh year! There's not a lot I could learn anyways, and if there's anything I need to learn I can learn it with Harry when we start auror training."

But, when Hermione heard him telling her that, she heard the words that followed, her own. "C'mon Ron! You've given Hogwarts the best six years of your life! Think of _all_ those memories! Do you remember how we used to dream about our last year and what it would be like the day we graduated? Don't you want to be able to fully cherish the school we saved?" It had been all Hermione had but Ron still refused. She finally asked herself the question. "How could he do this to me?" Hermione had zoned out and was staring out the window. She shook herself out of it and continued packing.

Currently, Ron and Harry were raiding the kitchen as Ron was trying to feel as less guilty as possible. Hermione knew him. He didn't want a whole year more of work and studying. That was that. As Ron was stuffing his mouth with a piece of the pie his mum had made the night before, Harry asked him "So, is Hermione still mad at you?"

"Yeah mate, I don't know what she's so angry about. She knows me. She should've known that I wouldn't-

Interrupting Ron, Harry asked "But, maybe not. She's your girlfriend now. You're expected to make a commitment."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh brilliant! I'm giving my best friend dating advice." Harry teased. Then he paused sighed, knowing it was true. "You have to show her you care about her."

"I do! Of course I do!" The king exclaimed.

"Then tell her!" Harry commanded of his friend, not wanting his two best friend's relationship to crash and burn.

"I have!-

Harry sighed.

"What?" Ron asked.

Harry sighed again and ruffled his hair, thinking. "Okay, how about this? Just telling her isn't enough. You really have to show a commitment."

Ron understood. The only way he was going to make this work with Hermione was if he returned to school with her. And, the choice was so clear and easy. He would endure a million essays, exams, tests, papers, potion classes, and hours of studying or anything else for Hermione Granger.

But, realizing something Ron asked his friend "But, what about Ginny? I know you care about her but you're not going back to Hogwarts, to be with her."

"It would've been like this anyway. And, she never asked me to or even mentioned it. To think of it, I never even asked her about it." Ron raised an eye brow at his best friend as Harry became the guilty one.

Hermione was alone in the prefect compartment, waiting for the others to board. She was trying to push her trunk into the overhead compartment with some difficulty. "_If you can destroy a horcruxe, than you can do this_!" Hermione chanted to herself. She managed to get the heavy thing up a little farther but it was no use, she needed a helping hand. And, then one came. Two actually, the ones of Ron Weasely came up behind Hermione and pushed her trunk fully into the compartment. Hermione recognized his arms immediately; they had been wrapped around her many times in the past few months. She whirled around on him. "What are you doing on the train?" she questioned.

He smiled and confessed "I'm going back to Hogwarts with you."

For a moment, Hermione was surprised and the overjoyed but before any sort of celebration Hermione started pelting him with questions "Why? What made you change your mind? And where's Harry?"

Keeping calm Ron explained that "Harry's finding Ginny. He's coming back, too."

Returning to her original and most desperate question Hermione repeated herself. "What made you change your mind? What made you want to come back?"

"I realized that I care about you too much to ever even risk losing you. I came because you mean that much to me, because you matter."

Hermione couldn't stay mad at him for anything. She hugged him, nearly speechless. She tried to get something out but couldn't. The truth was there was a time she never thought any guy would ever feel that way about her. He kissed her forehead and said "I know." In a loving voice.


End file.
